FITNESS will be the watchword for Berbician paceman Paul Wintz, as he approaches the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) 2015. The 29-year-old right-arm fast-medium, who is currently in training with the Guyana Jaguars Franchise for the upcoming PCL season has backed himself to make appearances in the four-day format of the Region’s premier domestic tournament.

“I would really like to play more of the longer version of the game, that’s why I’ll be working extra hard in the nets and on my fitness so that I can last in the longer version of the game,” said a jubilant Wintz to Chronicle Sport.
He went on to say, however, “I’m not trying to go too hard because we (the team) had a lengthy break and we just want to get back into our strides. Personally, I (am) taking it as it comes; I don’t want to get ahead of myself because it’s going to be a long season.”
The Cumberland Village-born Berbician noted too that the players have been working intensely on fitness and stamina as they prepare to defend their title.
“It’s been a bit intense I should say, because we were crowned champions last year and we don’t want to be caught napping; so the coaches decided to come back and hit the track running, because we don’t really want to be lapsing this year because we are the champs.”
He said that the coach, Esaun Crandon, has been doing a great job with the unit, adding that “basically the energy level is high because everybody wants to play cricket and again being champs, we need to maintain the professionalism and the winning ways”
The Jaguars have at their disposal Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Rajendra Chandrika, Assad Fudadin, Shimron Hetmyer, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Vishaul Singh; Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keon Joseph and Javon Searles (Barbados).
Barbadian Ryan Hinds is the other player selected. However, he is not yet in the country and it is unclear if or when he will be here.
The tournament is set to begin in November. (Stephan Sookram)